Chair having identical and interchangeable seat and backrest

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a backrest chair for use in providing seating arrangements in rooms, particularly conference rooms, cinemas, theaters, concert halls and similar rooms and which chair includes a support base adapted to be secured to the floor of such a room, such support base including a pedestal portion and two side portions, and a backrest and a folding seat of practically identical construction so secured to said side portions of said support base as to be adjustable into different positions of use relative to said support base.

United States Patent Agosti 3,655,239 [4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 154] CHAIR HAVING IDENTICAL AND INTERCHANGEABLE SEAT AND BACKREST [72] Inventor: Ettore Agosti, 4 Via Cappuccini, Milan,

Italy [22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 855,485

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 12, 1968 Italy ..21131 A/68 Sept. 12, 1968 Italy ..9906 13/68 [52] U.S. Cl ..297/331, 297/248, 297/440, 297/445, 297/452 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47c l/02, A47c 15/00, A47c 1/12 [58] Field of Search ..297/331-337, 92, 297/440-445 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,818,107 12/1957 Thaden ..297/D1G. 2

3,482,870 12/1969 Janssen ..297/92 606,112 6/1898 Armour et a1. ..297/257 1,335,379 3/1920 Lee ..297/319 2,305,077 12/1964 Hard et a1 ..297/331 2,606,339 8/1952 Shaffer et al.. ..16/171 2,771,124 11/1956 Borsani ..297/337 X 3,077,364 2/ 1963 Eppink ..297/335 X 3,115,368 12/1963 Springer et a] ..297/440 UX 3,290,086 12/1966 Petrak ..297/445 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 23,856 4/1906 Austria ..297/92 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam A tt0rney- Werner W. Kleeman [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a backrest chair for use in providing seating arrangements in rooms, particularly conference rooms, cinemas, theaters, concert halls and similar rooms and which chair includes a support base adapted to be secured to the floor of such a room, such support base including a pedestal portion and two side portions, and a backrest and a folding seat of practically identical construction so secured to said side portions of said support base as to be adjustable into different positions of use relative to said support base.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented April 11, 1972 2 Sheets-Shut 1 INVENTOR. ETTO R 6 R 605T] ATTORNQY$ CHAIR HAVING IDENTICAL AND INTERCIIANGEABLE SEAT AND BACKREST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In providing seating arrangements for rooms, particularly for conference rooms, cinemas, theaters, concert halls, and the like rooms, it is known to provide backrest chairs arranged in rows, with each individual backrest chair being secured to the floor. As a rule, these backrest chairs consist of two side frames which are connected to one another through a backrest construction. Between both side frames there are provided seating devices which are rotatable around a horizontal transverse axis from a raised position allowing free passage between the rows of seats, to a use position.

There are also used backrest chairs in which in each instance two backrest chairs are combined into one unit, in which the middle side frames are then deleted. These backrest chairs are then supported only by the side frames on the outside.

In providing seating arrangements for rooms of the aforementioned type there are many problems which present themselves. In rooms such as cinemas, theaters, concert halls, and the like, the floor is as a rule, raised toward the rearward portion of the room. In this case, the backrest chairs must be mounted from row to row at various inclinations in order to insure that their users enjoy optimum viewing, with respect to the active area of the room, from each elevated position of the particular row of backrest chairs. In the known seating arrangements, this is usually achieved by securing the backrest chairs of the various rows to the floor on various wedgeshaped supports.

The seating arrangements for rooms of the aforementioned type require continuous maintenance and control since such types of seating arrangements are exposed by their users to great stress, as known from experience, so that frequent repairs are necessary. Therefore, for rooms of the known type it is necessary that replacement backrests be available at all times in order to be able to replace damaged backrests. However, since the known backrest chairs are constructed in a very complicated way, wherein the individual parts cannot be replaced, one needs for this type of room a relatively large supply of replacement parts. Furthermore, replacing the individual parts of such backrest chairs is usually complicated since the individual parts are frequently rigidly connected to other constructional parts of such backrest chairs and can be released only with great difficulty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has for an object to obviate the aforesaid drawbacks and to provide a backrest chair for use in providing seating arrangements for rooms, in particular for conference rooms, cinemas, theaters and concert halls and which backrest chair is extremely simple in construction, can be easily mounted and disassembled, can have the position of the backrest and the folding seat adjusted in a simple manner, and in which the backrest and the folding seat are interchangeable, that is replaceable with respect to one another.

The backrest chair of the invention, for use in providing seating arrangements for rooms, in particular conference rooms, cinemas, theaters and concert balls, is such that it has a support base to be secured to the floor, said support base having a pedestal part and two side parts in which a backrest and a folding seat are secured in such a manner as to be adjustable with respect to various positions of use relative to the support base, and said backrest and folding seat being practically identical in construction.

By virtue of the fact that the backrest and the folding seat of the instant backrest chair are constructed practically identical, they can be replaced or interchanged without difficulty. This makes it possible to limit the necessary stock of replacement parts for the seating arrangements of rooms to a minimum. Due to the fact that the backrest and the folding relative to the support base, the assembling operations of such backrest chairs are also quite substantially simplified since it is now possible to forego adjustment by means of wedge-shaped supports in securing the support base to the floor. The backrest chairs can normally be secured to the floor and then can have the backrest and seat easily adjusted to the most suitableseating position.

A particularly simple manner of assembling and disassembling a backrest chair of the instant type is preferably given in the case where the side parts of the backrest and folding seat which cooperate with the side parts of the support base carry pivot pins or trunnions which engage within fork-like recesses or notches in the side parts of the support base. It is then possible to eliminate the need for complicated securing devices. It is merely suitable to additionally secure the backrest to the support base by releasable bolts and which bolts, for the purpose of insuring adjustability of the backrest, are applied to the side parts of the support base and/or the side parts of the backrest in different positions, with said positions being located on a segment of a circle around the pivot pin.

In order to prevent release of the folding seat from the support base, it is suitable if the fork-like recesses or notches for receiving the pivot pins of the folding seat are each narrowed on their inlet side by means of a bump or protuberance and that the pivot pins have flattened portions. The entire arrangement is then suitably made such that the folding seat can only be attached to the support base when the backrest is removed and when said folding seat is disposed in a position that lies outside of its normal folding range.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the backrest chair with respect to its adjustability of the backrest and folding seat portion is presented when the rear end of the folding seat in its position of use contacts a lower stop surface of the backrest. The distance of the lower stop surface from the axis of the pivot pins of the backrest varies preferably over the length of the stop surface. As a result, when the backrest is adjusted, the position of the folding seat is automatically altered relative to the support base. Preferably one constructs the lower stop surface of the backrest in such mannerthat the distance of the stop surface from the axis of the pivot pins becomes smaller toward the rear of the backrest chair. When the backrest is moved back, this will simultaneously cause inclination of the folding seat on its front side in a downward direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further and more specific objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating several backrest chairs of the present invention arranged next to one another to form a seating row;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a backrest chair of this invention with the folding seat in raised non-use position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the component parts of the backrest chair of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating a detail of the connection of the folding seat to the support base;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the structure of the backrest chair of this invention and showing the folding seat in raised position and lowered position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines VI-VI of FIG. 5 and illustrating the folding seat in lowered position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As is clear from FIGS. 1 to 3, the backrest chair of this invention consists of three main elements or components comprising a support base P, a backrest A and a folding seat A".

seat can moreover be brought into various positions of use The backrest A and folding seat A" are constructed to be essentially identical so that they can be substituted for one another without difficulty. The individual components of the backrest chair are preferably made of plastic, suitably a synthetic resin, preferably a reinforced polyester resin. The individual components of the backrest chair can thus be fabricated in the simplest manner in large unit quantities and in an economical manner.

Support base P consists of a pedestal portion and two vertical or upstanding side portions 11 and 12 which are arranged such that they impart to the support base a shape representing essentially a U. In this connection, the pedestal part 10 forms the base and the two side portionsll and 12 form the shanks of the U. The support base is reinforced in its lower area by a vertical rib 13 connected between side portions 11 and 12 and to the upper surface of pedestal 10. In order to facilitate cleaning, this rib 13 can also be partly recessed in the area of the pedestal. The support base is further reinforced by the cross piece 14 which is preferably provided on the rear. The entire support base, that is to say including the pedestal portion, side portions, rib and cross piece is preferably an integral one piece unit formed of plastic. Securing of the support base and thus the backrest chair in position on a floor is effected through pedestal portion 10 which is anchored to the floor by means of bolts, screws, fitting nails or the like.

Backrest A and folding seat A are constructed to be practically identical and each of them includes side portions 15 and 16 which act as reinforcements and carry a middle or bridging portion 17. These parts also are an integral construction suitably made of plastic of the above-mentioned type. The backrest A and the folding seat A can preferably be upholstered and covered in a known manner.

The side portions 15 and 16 of the backrest and folding seat, respectively, are equipped with external pivot pins 18 on their outside which have the purpose of securing the backrest A and the folding seat A to support base P. The latter has recesses for receiving such pivot pins and which recesses may be bores in the side portions 11 and 12 of the support base. It is particularly suitable, however, to provide for fork-like recesses or notches 19, and 23. The fork-like recesses or notches 19 and 20 which are to receive pivot pins 18 of backrest A are provided in the upper end of side portions 11 and 20, namely on the parts of the latter that are adjacent the rear of the support base so that the backrest can be inserted from above into the fork-like recesses or notches. The actual assembly of the backrest chair and thus the fixation of backrest A will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

As can be seen particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fork-like recesses or notches 23 for receiving the pivot pins 18 of folding seat A are provided on the forward or front side of the side portions 11 and 12. As is shown in FIG. 3, the arrangement of the fork-like recesses or notches 23 is such that they enable the inserted folding seat to tilt around axis RR from the folded-up position into the lowered-use position.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fork-like recesses or notches 23 for pivot pins 18 of folding seat A" are each narrowed on their inlet side by means of a protuberance 23". Each of the pivot pins 18 have a flattened portion 18 by virtue of which the pivot pin 18 possesses a narrowed area which enables it to move past the protuberance 23" of recess 23 when the seat is associated with the support base. The entire arrangement is such that the folding seat A" can only be attached to support base P when the backrest A is removed and when said folding seat is in a position which lies outside of the normal folding range B to B. The inner portion 23 of each recess or notch 23 is shaped so that pivot 18 can rotate freely therein around axis RR.

The assembly of the backrest chair is carried out such that folding seat A" is first tilted forwardly to such an extent that each pivot pin 18, via its narrowed portion provided by flattened portion 18, can move past bump or protuberance 23" of each fork-like recess or notch and seat within the notches. The inclination of the folding seat A is here such that its rear end takes up the area which would normally be taken up by the assembled backrest. After folding seat A" is inserted, it is rotated into its folded-up position B. Thereupon, the backrest A is attached by inserting its pivot pins 18 into the fork-like recesses or notches l9 and 20. For further fixation of the backrest A, various openings 25 are provided in the side portions 15 and 16 of the backrest and/or in the side portions 11 and 12 of the support base P, said openings in each instance being disposed on a segment of a circle located concentrically in relation to pivot pin 18. These openings 25 serve to take up detachable securing bolts which hold backrest A in the position selected. The backrest itself can be adjusted according to the number of and arrangement of openings 25.

As can be seen most clearly from FIG. 5, the range of rotation B to B" of folding seat A is determined by the following stops. In the use position B of the folding seat A, the upper rear surfaces 15 and 16 of side portions 15 and 16 contact the lower stop or abutment surfaces 15" and 16" of side portions 15 and 16 of backrest A. In the folded-up position 8, on the other hand, the folding seat contacts with its rearward end a stop or abutment 24 formed by rib 13. In order to reduce the noise level, this stop 24, can, if desired, be provided with upholstery or a buffer made of synthetic rubber or the like.

In order to simultaneously effect adjustment of the inclination of folding seat A when an adjustment is made of backrest A, the backrest and folding seat are preferably further constructed as follows: Stop surfaces 15" and 16" of side portions 15 and 16 of backrest A are disposed at a distance from pivot pin 18 of the backrest which varies along the stop surfaces. Preferably, the stop surfaces are constructed such that their distance from the pivot pins 18 becomes smaller toward the rear of the backrest chair. Now, as shown in FIG. 5, if the backrest is moved in the direction C or C", the inclination of the folding seat changes simultaneously in the direction D or D, that is to say if the position of the backrest is made more upright, then the inclination of the folding seat is likewise more horizontal or flat. This results in the decisive advantage that for any desirable seating arrangement one need only use one and the same backrest chair which can be adjusted in the most simple manner to assume the optimum seating position relative to the active area of the room when it is finally assembled in such room. The heretofore customary manufacture of special backrest chairs for the individual seating rows of seating arrangements for conference rooms, cinemas, theaters and concert halls is now no longer required. It is also no longer necessary to bring the backrest chairs at their final location into the suitable seating position by supporting them on wedges of various sizes. As exemplified in FIG. 6, the backrest chairs can be set up at a slight distance with respect to one another, with a conformed straight as well as curved rows. Arm rests can be provided on the upper ends 21 and 22 of adjoining backrest chairs.

Thus, the instant backrest chair is characterized by being of extremely simple construction which not only allows for very economical manufacture, but moreover and primarily, substantially simplifies its assembly. At the same time, the chair of this invention provides the possibility of adjusting the backrest and folding seat in the simplest manner to each viewing position without additional auxiliary means. Keeping in stock replacement parts is reduced to a minimum in using backrest chairs of the instant type since the folding seat and backrest can be substituted for one another, so that a double storage of backrests and folding seats is no longer required.

It should be apparent from the foregoing detailed description, that the objects set forth at the outset to the specification have been successfully achieved.

What is claimed is:

1. A backrest chair for providing seating arrangements in rooms, especially school rooms, conference rooms, cinemas, theaters and concert halls, comprising a support base means intended to be secured to the floor, said support base means including two side portions, a backrest and a folding seat shiftable between a non-use and use position each displaceably mounted at said support base means, said backrest and said folding seat possessing the same construction so as to be readily interchangeable, both said backrest and said folding seat each being equipped with pivot pin means for pivotably mounting said backrest and folding seat at said side portions of said support base means, fixing means for selectively fixing the position of said backrest so as to assume different relative positions with respect to said support base means and cooperating stop means on said backrest and folding seat and bearing against one another when said folding seat assumes its position of use, said cooperating stop means including means,

for adjustment of the position of said folding seat in response to adjustment of the position of said backrest causing a simultaneous adjustment of the inclination of the folding seat with adjustment of the inclination of said backrest.

2. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said support base means is formed of plastic and possesses a one-piece construction.

3. A backrest chair as defined in claim 2, wherein said backrest and said folding seat are also each fonned of plastic.

4. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot pin means of said backrest and said folding seat are received in respective recess means provided at said side portions of said support base means, said recess means for receiving said pivot pin means of said backrest being located at an upper region of said side portions and said recess means for said pivot pin means of said folding seat being located at a central region of the front side of said side portions of said support base means.

5. A backrest chair as defined in claim 4, further including protuberance means provided for said recess means receiving said pivot pin means of said folding seat at the region of the side of said last-mentioned recess means receiving said pivot pin means of said folding seat to narrow such recess means, said last-mentioned pivot pin means having flattened portions cooperating with said narrowed recess means such that said folding seat is only capable of being mounted at said support base means when said backrest is dismantled from said support base means and with said folding seat assuming an inserted position which is disposed outside of the normal folding range of said folding seat.

6. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said stop means of said backrest and said stop means of said folding seat are each defined by cooperating stop surfaces located at respective neighboring ends thereof, said stop surfaces of said folding seat bearing against said stop surfaces of said backrest and said means for adjustment being formed by said cooperating stop surfaces extending and coacting with one another such that upon pivoting of said backrest the inclination of said folding seat in its position of use is automatically changed so that with a more inclined position of the backrest said folding seat is more pronouncedly downwardly inclined towards the rear.

7. A backrest chair as defined in claim 6, wherein said backrest comprises a first stop surface-portion located along lengthwise extending regions of said backrest facing the user and at the region of said end thereof neighboring said folding seat and a'second stop surface portion extending along a narrower portion of said backrest directed away from the user and likewise located at said end of said backrest neighboring said folding seat, said similarly constructed folding seat likewise being provided with a first stop surface portion located along lengthwise regions of said folding seat confronting said user and at said end thereof neighboring said backrest and a second stop surface portion located extending along a narrower portion of said folding seat directed away from the user and likewise located at said end of said folding seat neighboring the backrest, said first stop surface portion of said folding seat cooperating with said second stop surface portion of said backrest to define said cooperating stop surfaces.

8. A backrest chair as defined in claim 7, wherein the spacing of said respective second stop surface portion of each said backrest and said folding seat varies over the lengthpf said respective narrower portion thereof from the axis 0 said pivot pin means of the associated backrest and folding seat.

9. A backrest chair as defined in claim 7, wherein such spacing preferably becomes smaller towards the respective side of the backrest and folding seat facing away from the user. 

1. A backrest chair for providing seating arrangements in rooms, especially school rooms, conference rooms, cinemas, theaters and concert halls, comprising a support base means intended to be secured to the floor, said support base means including two side portions, a backrest and a folding seat shiftable between a nonuse and use position each displaceably mounted at said support base means, said backrest and said folding seat possessing the same construction so as to be readily interchangeable, both said backrest and said folding seat each being equipped with pivot pin means for pivotably mounting said backrest and folding seat at said side portions of said support base means, fixing means for selectively fixing the position of said backrest so as to assume different relative positions with respect to said support base means and cooperating stop means on said backrest and folding seat and bearing against one another when said folding seat assumes its position of use, said cooperating stop means including means for adjustment of the position of said folding seat in response to adjustment of the position of said backrest causing a simultaneous adjustment of the inclination of the folding seat with adjustment of the inclination of said backrest.
 2. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said support base means is formed of plastic and possesses a one-piece construction.
 3. A backrest chair as defined in claim 2, wherein said backrest and said folding seat are also each formed of plastic.
 4. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot pin means of said backrest and said folding seat are received in respective recess means provided at said side portions of said support base means, said recess means for receiving said pivot pin means of said backrest being located at an upper region of said side portions and said recess means for said pivot pin means of said folding seat being located at a central region of the front side of said side portions of said support base means.
 5. A backrest chair as defined in claim 4, further including protuberance means provided for said recess means receiving said pivot pin means of said folding seat at the region of the side of said last-mentioned recess means receiving said pivot pin means of said folding seat to narrow such recess means, said last-mentioned pivot pin means having flattened portions cooperating with said narrowed recess means such that said folding seat is only capable of being mounted at said support base means when said backrest is dismantled from said support base means and with said folding seat assuming an inserted position which is disposed outside of the normal folding range of said folding seat.
 6. A backrest chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said stop means of said backrest and said stop means of said folding seat are each defined by cooperating stop surfaces located at respective neighboring ends thereof, said stop surfaces of said folding seat bearing against said stop surfaces of said backrest and said means for adjustment being formed by said cooperating stop surfaces extending and coacting with one another such that upon pivoting of said backrest the inclination of said folding seat in its position of use is automatically changed so that with a more inclined position of the backrest said folding seat is more pronouncedly downwardly inclined towards the rear.
 7. A backrest chair as defined in claim 6, wherein said backrest comprises a first stop surface portion located along lengthwise extending regions of said backrest facing the user and at the region of said end thereof neighboring said folding seat and a second stop surface portion extending along a narrower portion of said backrest directed away from the user and likewise located at said end of said backrest neighboring said folding seat, said similarly constructed folding seat likewise being provided with a first stop surface portion located along lengthwise regions of said folding seat confronting said user and at said end thereof neighboring said backrest and a second stop surface portion located extending along a narrower portion of said folding seat directed away from the user and likewise located at said end of said folding seat neighboring the backrest, said first stop surface portion of said folding seat cooperating with said second stop surface portion of said backrest to define said cooperating stop surfaces.
 8. A backrest chair as defined in claim 7, wherein the spacing of said respective second stop surface portion of each said backrest and said folding seat varies over the length of said respective narrower portion thereof from the axis of said pivot pin means of the associated backrest and folding seat.
 9. A backrest chair as defined in claim 7, wherein such spacing preferably becomes smaller towards the respective side of the backrest and folding seat facing away from the user. 